Enzo Fernández’s next chapter off the pitch
Enzo Fernández has made an important decision away from the pitch. The Argentina international and Chelsea midfielder has signed with The Elegant Game as his new representatives with immediate effect, closing his chapter with previous agency DE 9 Fútbol.
For a 2001-born midfielder who has already won the FIFA World Cup and completed one of the biggest transfers in Premier League history, representation is not a minor detail. It touches everything from future transfers and contract negotiations to commercial deals and long-term career planning.
Fernández rose through River Plate’s academy, shone on loan at Defensa y Justicia, then returned to River to become one of the brightest midfield talents in South America. A move to Benfica in 2022 put him on the European stage, and within months he was a world champion with Argentina and the tournament’s Young Player. His performances accelerated a record move to Chelsea in January 2023.
Now, the choice of a new agency comes at a time when the midfielder is expected to be a cornerstone for both Chelsea and the Argentine national team for years to come.
Leaving DE 9 Fútbol and embracing a new project
From Argentina to Europe
Enzo’s previous representatives, DE 9 Fútbol, are part of the modern generation of Argentine agencies that specialise in guiding young talents from local academies to top European clubs. They were heavily involved in his journey from River Plate to Benfica and then into the elite tier of transfer fees when Chelsea came calling.
For a player of Fernández’s profile, a change of agency rarely happens by accident. Top players at his level usually want a slightly different strategic vision for the next five to ten years, stronger support on the commercial and branding side, and a representation structure that better reflects their growing global profile.
There is no public sign of drama between Enzo and DE 9 Fútbol. Instead, this move looks like a classic pivot: a world-class player who is already established at the top level choosing to align with a new, more tailored project as he enters his prime.
Who are The Elegant Game?
A new agency with a very familiar name behind it
The Elegant Game is a freshly launched football agency project that immediately stands out because of one of its co-founders – Javier “El Flaco” Pastore.
Pastore is remembered as one of the most gifted attacking midfielders of his generation. After emerging at Talleres and Huracán in Argentina, he made his name in Europe with Palermo, then became one of the early centrepieces of the PSG project in the 2010s. Later spells with Roma and other clubs gave him experience in different leagues, dressing rooms and football cultures.
Moving into player representation feels like a logical next step for a playmaker who has lived the full spectrum of elite football: the pressure of big-money moves, life at clubs with huge expectations, balancing national-team duties with club demands, and navigating injuries, form and public scrutiny.
With The Elegant Game, Pastore and his partners are positioning themselves as a boutique, football-people-run agency that can offer first-hand experience at the highest level rather than only boardroom expertise.
https://www.instagram.com/theelegantgame
Why Pastore’s profile fits Enzo Fernández
A playmaker advising a playmaker
For Enzo, being represented by an agency co-founded by someone like Pastore carries obvious advantages.
Both are creative midfielders who left Argentina young and learned quickly in Europe. Pastore knows what it means to be a star signing, to carry expectations at a super club and to manage the rhythm between club, national team and personal life.
That background can help The Elegant Game support Enzo in several areas. On the sporting side, it strengthens the strategic thinking around which environments, coaches and roles suit him best if any future move is considered. In terms of media and image, it brings experience in handling narratives around performances, form and expectations at a club like Chelsea. Commercially, it can help position Enzo as a global Argentine star in line with his status as a world champion.
Having someone who has lived those pressures on the player side gives The Elegant Game a different kind of credibility when sitting at the table with clubs and brands.
What this move means for Chelsea and Argentina
Stability, leverage and long-term planning
Enzo is already on a long-term contract at Chelsea, so this agency switch does not signal an immediate transfer. Instead, it is more about how his career will be managed over the next decade.
For Chelsea, dealing with The Elegant Game means engaging with an agency likely to insist on a clear sporting project in which Fernández is central, on stability and protection around his role in the team, and on a long-term plan that matches his ambitions at club and international level.
For Argentina, it reinforces that one of their midfield leaders is building a strong off-pitch structure as he grows into a senior figure for the national team. A well-organised agency behind a key international can make club–country dynamics smoother and help manage workload, travel and tournament cycles.
A growing trend among elite players
Enzo Fernández moving to The Elegant Game fits a broader trend in modern football. More and more top players are choosing smaller, high-touch agencies that focus on a limited number of elite clients; they are increasingly drawn to projects led by former players who can offer empathy and lived experience, while still expecting sophisticated work on image, brand partnerships and long-term wealth planning.
The Elegant Game, with Javier Pastore at its heart, immediately becomes a name to watch in that space. And if Enzo continues his rise with Chelsea and Argentina, this partnership could become one of the defining player–agency relationships of the next few years.
